Refrigerator Unit and/or Freezer Unit

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least one air grille for the supply and/or removal of air in a region of the unit, preferably into and/or out of the base region, wherein fastening means are provided for the holding of the air grille, with the fastening means including one or more magnets and one or more elements which can be fixed by the magnet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least one air grille for the supply and/or removal of air in a region of the unit, preferably into and/or out of the base region of the unit.

In units known from the prior art, the air grilles are connected to the base or to the roller base of the unit by a screw connection. The known air grilles are horizontally adjustable in that the fastening hole for the screw is designed as an elongate hole at the air grille. A vertical adjustment of the air grille is possible with the known units in that the threaded core bore at the roller base is likewise configured as an elongate hole. Arrangements are furthermore known from the prior art in which the air grille is connected to the unit base by a simple screw connection with a retaining metal panel, without the air grille being horizontally or vertically adjustable.

The dismantling of the air grille can be necessary to ensure the accessibility of components which are arranged in the region hidden by the air grille. Such a component can, for example, be a water filter which is required to treat water which is required, for example, for an icemaker. If the water filter is arranged in the region covered by the air grille, it is accordingly necessary that the air grille is dismantled to replace the water filter. At the same time, it is an aim that the air grille is displaceable so that is satisfies the different inbuilt situations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to further develop a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit of the initially named kind such that the air grille can be dismantled in a simple manner.

This object is achieved by a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having the features herein. Provision is accordingly made that fastening means are provided for the holding of the air grille which include one or more magnets as well as one or more elements which can be fixed by the magnet such as a steel metal plate or the like. The present invention is thus based on the idea of realizing the fixing of the air grille to the unit by a magnet connection. This brings along the advantage that the air grille can be removed simply, for example by pivoting or simple lifting off. It is particularly preferred if the fastening means are made such that the air grille is horizontally and/or vertically or also obliquely displaceable relative to the unit.

A displaceability in the vertical direction is in particular advantageous when the unit has a vertical adjustment. In these cases, it must be aimed at for optical reasons that the air grille terminates flush with the floor. This can easily be realized when the air grille is displaceable in the vertical direction, that is, vertically, which can easily be realized due to the magnet connection.

A horizontal adjustment or adjustability of the air grille is likewise to be aimed for. A horizontal adjustment of the air grille can in particular be meaningful in the cases in which the refrigerator is an inbuilt unit and is inserted into a furniture niche to be able to compensate any center offset between the furniture niche and the inbuilt unit.

Provision is made in a preferred embodiment of the invention that the unit has a unit base and that the fastening means are arranged such that the air grille can be fixed in the region of the unit base.

The term “unit base” means the lower region of the unit. The foot elements of the unit, components of the refrigerant circuit, the initially named water filter, etc. can be located in this region. However, this is not absolutely necessary. It is likewise conceivable to arrange the air grille at another position, for example above the door or the refrigerant compartment or freezer compartment.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the unit has a unit base which has at least one foot part on which the unit stands and that the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the foot part or is formed by it. The foot part or parts can, for example, be a roller base. However, this is not absolutely necessary. The foot parts or the roller bases can extend at both sides over the total depth of the unit. It is thus conceivable for example that the roller base has a front side facing the user and that the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged in the region of this front side.

The term the “element which can be fixed by the magnet” includes any component which has a section which can be fixed by a magnet.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the air grille or is formed by it.

It is thus conceivable, for example, to arrange the magnet or also the element which can be fixed by the magnet, for example a holding part made of ferromagnetic material, at the air grille.

The situation is covered by the invention that the magnet is arranged at the unit, for example at an element in the base region, such as at a foot, or at the unit carcass, and the element which can be fixed to the magnet is arranged at the air grille and also the converse case.

It is material that the fixing in place of the air grille takes place by a magnet connection.

The situation is generally also covered by the invention that the air grille itself acts as a magnet or forms the component which can be fixed by a magnet. It may be sufficient in the latter case to provide one or more magnets at the unit itself at which the air grille is held by magnetic force.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the air grille has at least one groove into which the magnet or an element having at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is inserted. Alternatively or additionally to this, provision can be made that the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is connected to the air grille by a screw connection.

Corresponding embodiments naturally also apply to the fixing of the magnet, of the element having at least one magnet or of the element which can be fixed by the magnet to the unit itself, for example to a foot part.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is designed such that it can be fixed to different positions of the air grille and/or of another part of the unit.

It is possible in this way to carry out an arrangement of the fastening elements adapted to the respective requirements.

The case is likewise covered by the invention that the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is designed in one piece with the air grille or with another part of the unit. It is thus conceivable, for example, to design the air grille itself from a magnetic material or from a material which can be fixed by a magnet. It is also conceivable to provide regions from the outset in the manufacture of the air grille which have these properties.

The element which can be fixed by the magnet can be an element made of a ferromagnetic material, in particular made of a steel metal plate.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the fastening means are designed such that the air grille is vertically and/or horizontally displaceable. As initially stated, this brings along advantages, in particular in the case of a vertical adjustment of the unit, and in the case that the unit should be pushed into a furniture niche.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention that the fastening means are designed such that the air grille is pivotable for the purpose of its dismantling. The ventilation means can thus preferably simply be pivoted to the front by the user and then removed so that the region located behind the air grille is easy and simple to access.

Provision can be made, as stated, that a water filter is located in the region behind the air grille. Such a water filter has to be replaced at regular intervals, which is not problematic due to the simple dismantling possibility of the air grille.

The air grille can extend over a unit or over a plurality of units such side-by-side units, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. There are shown:

FIG. 1: a perspective representation of the base region of a refrigerator unit and or of a freezer unit in accordance with the invention with installed air grille;

FIG. 2: a perspective representation of a side-by-side refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with the invention with an installed air grille extending over both sides of the unit;

FIG. 3: a perspective view of the base region of a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with the invention as an inbuilt unit;

FIG. 4: a view of the front-side end of the roller base of the unit with a magnet arranged thereon;

FIG. 5: a perspective view representation of the air grille installed at the magnet by means of a retaining metal panel;

FIG. 6: a view of the air grille inner side with the retaining metal panel arranged thereon; and

FIG. 7: a view of the pivoted air grille for the purpose of its dismantling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows the lower region of a refrigerator or freezer 10. It has a door 12 and a base region 14 extending beneath the door 12. As can be seen from FIG. 1, an air grille 20 extends underneath the door 12 in front of the base region.

FIG. 2 shows a comparable embodiment of a refrigerator or freezer 10′ which is designed as a side-by-side unit. As can be seen from FIG. 2, in this case, the air grille 20 extends over both parts of the side-by-side unit 10.

The refrigerator unit in accordance with the invention can be designed as a stand-alone unit, that is, as a free-standing unit, or also as an inbuilt unit. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the unit as an inbuilt unit; in this case it is pushed into a furniture niche. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the air grille 20 extends over the total width or over a substantial part of the width of the furniture niche in the embodiment shown there.

The unit 10 has, in its base region 14, two mutually spaced apart roller bases 30 of which one can be seen in FIG. 4. These roller bases 30 extend over a substantial part of the depth and at both sides of the unit and have rollers at their lower side. The invention is naturally not restricted to this, but rather also includes foot parts of the unit without rollers.

A permanent magnet 40 fixed by a countersunk screw is located at the front side of the roller base 30. This magnet 40 has the object of fixing the air grille 20 in the base region 14.

In the embodiment shown here, the air grille 20 comprises an extruded aluminum section. Other materials (magnetic or non-magnetic) are generally also conceivable for the air grille 20.

The air grille 20 has, in accordance with FIG. 5, on its side remote from the roller base 30 a retaining metal panel 50 which comprises ferromagnetic material or is made as a steel metal plate. This retaining metal panel 50 is inserted via a groove 22 on the upper side and/or lower side of the air grille 20 and/or is fixed on its upper side and/or lower side by screws 60, as is indicated in FIG. 6. It is conceivable that the screws 60 can be arranged at different positions of the air grille 20 so that the holding element 50 is designed as displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the air grille 20.

It is generally also conceivable to dispense with a screw connection, but rather to use latch elements or the like, for example, which ensure that the holding element 50 is installed at the air grille 20.

The arrangement of the groove 22 of the air grille 20 can also be seen in another respect from FIG. 5.

As can further be seen from FIG. 5, the retaining metal panel 50 is designed as a sheet metal strip which extends in the vertical direction and whose longitudinal axis extends perpendicular to the width direction of the air grille 20.

It is possible by the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, for example, to adjust the air grille 20 in the vertical direction and to align it, for example, so that the lower side of the air grille 20 terminates with the floor. To be able to compensate a central offset which can result, for example, when the unit 10 is inserted into a furniture niche, as is shown in FIG. 3, the air grille 20 can also be displaced laterally, that is, in the horizontal direction, relative to the magnet 40.

If the air grille 20 should be removed, it can be pivoted by hand as can be seen from FIG. 7 so that the magnet connection between the magnet 40 and the retaining metal panel 60 is cancelled, whereupon the air grille 20 can be removed. A water filter located behind it is easily accessible in this manner. 

1. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least one air grille for the supply and/or removal of air in a region of the unit, preferably into and/or out of the base region, wherein fastening means are provided for the holding of the air grille, with the fastening means including one or more magnets and one or more elements which can be fixed by the magnet.
 2. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the unit has a unit base; and the fastening means are arranged such that the air grille can be fixed in the region of the unit base.
 3. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the unit has a unit base which has at least one foot part on which the unit stands; and the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the foot part or is formed by it.
 4. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein the foot part is designed as a roller base.
 5. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the air grille or is formed by it.
 6. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the front side of the foot part facing the user.
 7. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air grille has at least one groove into which the magnet, an element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is inserted.
 8. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is connected to the air grille by a screw connection.
 9. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is designed such that it can be fixed at different positions of the air grille and/or of another part of the unit.
 10. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnet, the element having the magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is designed in one piece with the air grille or with another part of the unit.
 11. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the element which can be fixed by the magnet comprises a ferromagnetic material, in particular steel metal plate or such a material.
 12. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means are designed such that the air grille is displaceable vertically and/or horizontally.
 13. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means are designed such that the air grille is pivotable for the purpose of its dismantling.
 14. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a water filter is located in a region behind the air grille.
 15. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air grille extends over one or more units.
 16. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the unit has a unit base which has at least one foot part on which the unit stands; and the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the foot part or is formed by it.
 17. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 16, wherein the foot part is designed as a roller base.
 18. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the air grille or is formed by it.
 19. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 16, wherein the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the air grille or is formed by it.
 20. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 4, wherein the at least one magnet or the element which can be fixed by the magnet is arranged at the air grille or is formed by it. 